So yesterday I met up with the 2 ladies that work at my LYS (and the 88 year old woman who owns the place) around 10am - we had her permission to move everything around to create a more comfortable atmosphere - moving the clearance yarn away from the front window, moving the "knittting table" closer to the front window, rearranging bookcases, etc. She has owned the shop (in this location) for around 28 years... and she'll be the first to tell you all the other locations along with the years she was there, and what was in the spot before and after. I love her; she's a quirky cranky spunky lady - and she's the reason I love the store.

Anyway, I just wanted to share with you guys that we spent 10 hours resetting the store - (I'm going to post photos on my blog; www.kyleknits.blogspot.com) to keep from taking up space here - if you want to see some before and after photos.

I haven't painted yet, and there's LOTS still to do, but we did succeed in getting rid of a GROSS clearance rack that was hand made and half done, with its back showing out the front window.... and we also moved the notions/needles/etc. to the back of the store, cleaned up the register area, and put hanks on a long (10-12') wall - and arranged them by color -

I've set aside the scarf I've been working on. It's slow going with medium worsted weight yarn and size 10 needles. I will finish it while on the road, but in the meantime I wanted to do something a little faster.

I bought some super bulky Red Heart Light & Lofty yarn and size 15 needles so I can work through a bit quicker project. I started it with size 17 needles but didn't like the way it was looking so unraveled it and restarted on the 15s.

It's definitely coming along much quicker, but I'm finding this extra fuzzy yarn a bit more difficult to work with as it doesn't slide as easily.

For those of you familiar with Tolstoy's book (and the movie), you'll know about Anna Makarovna's double socks. I was just given the pattern and I'm considering giving it a go. Before I make a start, I'm wondering if anyone here has tried knitting socks like this. I'm looking for advice before starting out.

Frequently I see people complaining about garter stitch lace; especially when they are knitting lace shawls in the round. The very thought of purling entire rows seems to make a lot of people blanch. Likewise many people complain about the long purl back rows when doing stockinette knit back and forth.

Now I don't mind purling that much; well, not unless I'm doing a 1 x 1 rib and then more because I can't count. But I've also learned to knit backwards (or purl backwards - depending on how one looks at it)- which means a number of things:

a) when knitting flat I don't turn my work, I just purl back/knit back backwards. It's faster and more convenient then turning and purling, partially because when I "purl" backwards I'm scooping yarn rather then throwing.

b) in the round, I can TURN my work and knit backwards/purl backwards for garter stitch - again faster.

C) when knitting on edges - I don't have to turn the work after each of thsose short rows.

d) it confuses the heck out of people watching my knitting! (added bonus)

After 25 odd years of knitting sweaters, piece by piece, I've finally tried knitting a top-down raglan in the round. I've got to say I may never go back to the old way again. It's fast (finished in two weeks), relatively simple, and the results were great, plus no seaming...gotta love that.

Anyhow, do any of you have a formula, or trick for converting regular stitch patterns to patterns that can be knit in the round...if so I'd love to know what they are. I don't want to knit every sweater in just straight stocking stitch if I can avoid it.

I am missing my companion Socrates so much right now. He was a good cat and a great traveling companion. I received a secret santa package addressed to myself and Socrates. Inside was a gift for myself and a bag of kitty treats. Broke my heart.

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I miss him very much.

For those of you who asked, the East Texas Christmas saga has just been posted on my blog texknitter.blogspot.com. complete with more pics from the weekend. For those of you who just don't care, you probably shouldn't anyway and I probably wouldn't blame you if you didn't.

And Mike.... the Algonquin, with the exception of just a few, embraced me dearly. There is one in particular that you know literally charms the pants off me!